Brick laying device

ABSTRACT

A brick laying device having a support section on which a brick is adapted to be supported in a horizontal position corresponding to the position in which the brick is to be laid. The support section has a handle at one end and a pair of piercing points at its other end adapted to penetrate into an insulation panel or other material behind the brick wall being erected. Intermediate its ends the support section is provided with another piercing point adjustable toward and away from the other two piercing points and adapted to penetrate into a frieze board when the other two piercing points are engaged with the panel material behind the brick wall.

[ 1 Jan. 21, 1975 Primary ExaminerErnest R. Purser Assistant Examinerl-lenry Raduazo Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Barnes, Kisselle, Raisch &

Choate [57] ABSTRACT A brick laying device having a support section on which a brick is adapted to be supported in a horizontal position corresponding to the position in which the brick is to be laid. The support section has a handle at one end and a pair of piercing points at its other end adapted to penetrate into an insulation panel or other material behind the brick wall being erected. lntermediate its ends the support section is provided with an- Will Park McLeod, 16515 Baylis Ave., Detroit, Mich. 48221 Oct. 19, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 407,851

52/749 E04f 21/20, E04g 21/22 52/749; 99/419, 421 R; 248/216 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS United States Patent McLeod BRICK LAYING DEVICE [76] Inventor:

[22] Filed:

[51] Int.

[58] Field of Search.............

other piercing point adjustable toward and away from the other two piercing points and adapted to penetrate into a frieze board when-the other two piercing points are engaged with the panel material behind the brick 99/419 wa 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Hemmenway Arseneault.................

Kapnek Swanson 1,745,058 1 1930 Rossi................... 2,682,385 6/1954 sebum/61...... 2,989,915 6/1961 3,078,787 2/1963 PATEHTEB JAN 2 1 I975 Fla. 4

BRICK LAYING DEVICE This invention relates to a brick laying device, and, more particularly, to a device which facilitates laying the last one or several bricks at the end of a top course which is partially overlapped by a frieze board.

When a bricklayer lays the top course of bricks which is partially overlapped by a frieze board, he frequently encounters difficulty in properly laying the last one or two bricks of the top course because of the lack of adequate clearance space between the lower edge of the frieze board and the top of the next lower brick course to insert and locate these bricks. When the top course of bricks ends at a solid wall and the next to the top course is already laid, it is extremely difficult or impossible to insert the last one or two bricks of the top course behind the frieze board. Accordingly, it is usual practice in such situations for the bricklayer to require the assistance of a helper to temporarily hold the last one or two bricks of the top course in an elevated position up behind the frieze board while he is laying the last one or two bricks of the next to the top course. After these latter bricks are laid the bricks which are temporarily held in an elevated position by the bricklayer helper are lowered and adjusted to their proper position to complete the top course. This procedure is not only time-consuming and awkward, but normally requires two persons.

The present invention has for its object the provision of a device which eliminates the above described problem.

In general, the present invention consists of a device designed to temporarily support one or more bricks in an elevated or raised position behind a frieze board in an unobstructed manner while the last few bricks in the next to the top brick course are laid and which can thereafter be lowered to deposit and properly locate the last one or two bricks to complete the top course.

More specifically, the present invention includes a brick supporting device having a plurality of spaced piercing members thereon which are adapted to be pressed into the frieze board and the insulation panel behind the brack wall for temporarily supporting one or more bricks in an elevated position behind the frieze board.

Other features and objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a fragmentary perspective view of a brick wall illustrating the manner in which the device of the present invention is used;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the line 2-2 in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the brick laying device; and FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the line 4-4 in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional brick veneer wall is illustrated including a plurality of horizontally extending brick courses 10 erected in front of a conventional panel of insulation material 12. In constructions of this type it is conventional to employ a frieze board 14 which overlaps the top course of bricks. Frieze board 14 is spaced outwardly from insulating panel 12 a distance slightly in excess of the width of the brick. The frieze board is erected by carpenters before the brick wall is erected. The tool of the present invention is most useful where the courses of brick end at a solid wall, such as indicated at 16.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the device of the present invention, generally designated I7, comprises a flat thin metal plate 18 which is relatively long anad narrow and has a handle 20 at one end thereof and a pair of piercing points 22 projecting from the opposite end thereof. Piercing points 22 may, if desired, be formed as small diameter rods sharpened to a point 24 at one end thereof and welded to the side edges of plate I8. Plate 18 has a length substantially longer than the distance between insulation panel 12 and frieze board 14 and has a width substantially smaller than the length of a conventional brick. Generally speaking, a conventional brick measures roughly slightly less than 8 inches long, 2 inches thick and 4 sinches wide and is laid with a mortar joint of about inch thickness. In the embodiment illustrated plate 18 has a width of about 2 inches and a thickness of about 5 8 inch.

Intermediate its opposite ends there is mounted on plate 18 an adjustable piercing point assembly 26. This assembly comprises a bracket having a pair of horizontally extending, vertically offset legs 28 and 30 connected by an upright leg 32. Leg 28 has a downwardly turned tab 34 adapted to fit in an elongated slot 36 in plate 18. A screw and nut assembly 38 is arranged for clamping the bracket in an adjusted position within slot 36 on plate 18. Horizontal leg 30 extends through a closed loop bracket 40 having a clamping-screw 42 on the top side thereof. A piercing point 44 is arranged within the closed loop bracket 40 between leg 30 and screw 42. Minor adjustments of piercing point 44 can be effected by loosening screw 42, adjusting point 44 inwardly or outwardly and then tightening screw 42 to firmly clamp piercing point 44 in the adjusted position. If a major adjustment of the position of the piercing point 44 is required, screw assembly 38 can be loosened, the whole bracket assembly shifted lengthwise of slot 36 and then screw assembly 38 tightened with the piercing point 44 clamped in the desired position. Normally the sharp end of piercing point 44 is adjustedso that it is spaced from the ends 24 of piercing points 22 a distance corresponding to the dimension between the outer face of panel board 12 and the outer face of frieze board 14. Adjustment of piercing point 44 is a practical necessity because this dimension varies not only because of the different widths in bricks, but also because of non-uniform spacing between the panel board 12 and the frieze board 14 on different walls of even the same structure.

The manner in which the device of the present invention is used is best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The next to the top course of bricks is laid in a direction toward wall 16 only to the extent of bricks a and b. Thereafter bricks c and d of the top course are laid. These bricks can be inserted up behind frieze board 14 through the space which will be occupied by bricks e and f (not yet laid). In the illustration shown the last two bricks of the top course (designated g and h) are full size bricks and, accordingly, two of the brick laying devices 17 are employed. Brick h. is supported on one of the devices and brick g is supported on the other. Thereafter, by means of the devices 17 the bricks are elevated to a position where they are disposed behind the frieze board 14 with plate 18 substantially flush with the lower edge thereof. Thereafter the devices 17 are pushed forwardly so that the points 22 penetrate into the insulation board 12 and the piercing points 44 penetrate into the frieze board 14. Thus, bricks g and h are supported in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2 in an out-of-the-way position behind the frieze board. Thereafter the next to the top course is completed in the conventional manner by laying bricks e and f to the corner formed by end wall 16. Afer bricks e andfhave been laid, a thick layer of mortar is applied to the top faces of bricks e, f and b. If desired, mortar can also be applied to the exposed end face of brick c. Thereafter the brick laying device 17 supporting brick h is pulled outwardly away from the frieze board to disengage points 22 and piercing point 44. It is then gently lowered to the broken line position h in FIG. 2 to position brick h in its proper position over bricks e and f. After the device is gently vibrated manually so that the proper thickness of mortar joint 46 is obtained, it is gently withdrawn. The same .operation is then repeated with respect to the device 17 a frieze board without the assistance of a helper. ln operation the device supports a brick in a position elevated behind the frieze board so that the space below plate 18 is completely unobstructed to permit the bricklayer to complete the next to the top course of bricks without interference from the device. Thereafter the device can be disengaged from the frieze board and the insulation panel behind the brick wall to gently lower the brick and position it in its proper location. Since the brick supporting plate 18 is veryvthin as compared to the thickness of the mortar joint and relatively narrow as compared to the length of a brick, it can be withdrawn after the brick is lowered without adversely affecting the underlying mortar joint.

I claim:

l. A device for facilitating laying the top course of bricks which are disposed between a frieze board and a vertical wall surface behind the frieze board and in which the frieze board overlaps the front faces of the bricks in said top course comprising, a rigid brick support member in the form of a flat plate having a handle portion at one end and having a pair of laterally spaced pointed projections extending from the end of said plate opposite said handle, said pointed projections being adapted to engage and be supported by the vertical wall surface behind a brick wall being erected, said device also having secured thereto intermediate the ends of said plate at least one pointed projection mounted on said plate and projecting horizontally in the same direction as said spaced projections in a plane above said plate, said last-mentioned pointed projection being adapted to engage with the frieze board spaced outwardly from said vertical wall surface and being adjustable on said plate to vary the distance between the pointed end thereof and the pointed ends of said spaced projections, said first and second mentioned projections being engageable with said wall surface and frieze board, respectively, to support a brick on said brick support member in an elevated position up behind the frieze board while the next to the top course of bricks is laid therebelow, after which the device is adapted to be disengaged from said wall surface and frieze board to lower the bricks held in an elevated position to complete said top course.

2. A device for facilitating laying the top course of bricks which are disposed between a frieze board and a vertical wall surface behind the frieze board and in which the frieze board overlaps the front faces of the bricks in said top course comprising, an elongate member having a flat plate-like brick support surface provided with pointed end piercing means projecting axially from one end thereof substantially in the plane of and extending beyond said support surface, said member having a handle at the opposite end thereof, said member also having additional pointed end piercing means intermediate its ends and projecting axially in the same direction as the first-mentioned piercing means, said additional piercing means being offset from the plane of said support surface, means mounting said additional piercing means on said member for adjustment toward and away from the firstmentioned piercing means for varying the distance between the pointed ends of the first and second mentioned piercing means,

one of said piercing means comprising a pair of projections spaced laterally apart transversely of said elongate member to impart lateral stability thereto when said member is aligned horizontally with the lower edge of the frieze board and projected toward the frieze board to interengage the first-mentioned piercing means with the wall surface behind the frieze board and the second-mentioned piercing means with the outer face of the frieze board above the lower edge thereof, said'mounting means being disposed on the side of the second-mentioned piercing'means toward said handle so as to avoid interference with the frieze board, the top and bottom faces of said member being smooth and unobstructed between the first and second mentioned piercing means to permit withdrawal of said member through the mortar joint between the bricksupported thereby andthe next lower course of bricks when the member is retracted slightly to disengage the piercing means from said wall surface and frieze board and lowered to deposit the brick supported thereby on the mortar laid along the top of the next lower course of bricks.

3. A brick laying device as called for in claim 2 wherein said elongate member comprises a flat plate and said first-mentioned piercing means comprises a pair of laterally spaced pointed projections extending outwardly from the end of said plate opposite said handle. 

1. A device for facilitating laying the top course of bricks which are disposed between a frieze board and a vertical wall surface behind the frieze board and in which the frieze board overlaps the front faces of the bricks in said top course comprising, a rigid brick support member in the form of a flat plate having a handle portion at one end and having a pair of laterally spaced pointed projections extending from the end of said plate opposite said handle, said pointed projections being adapted to engage and be supported by the vertical wall surface behind a brick wall being erected, said device also having secured thereto intermediate the ends of said plate at least one pointed projection mounted on said plate and projecting horizontally in the same direction as said spaced projections in a plane above said plate, said last-mentioned pointed projection being adapted to engage with the frieze board spaced outwardly from said vertical wall surface and being adjustable on said plate to vary the distance between the pointed end thereof and the pointed ends of said spaced projections, said first and second mentioned projections being engageable with said wall surface and frieze board, respectively, to support a brick on said brick support member in an elevated position up behind the frieze board while the next to the top course of bricks is laid therebelow, after which the device is adapted to be disengaged from said wall surface and frieze board to lower the bricks held in an elevated position to complete said top couRse.
 2. A device for facilitating laying the top course of bricks which are disposed between a frieze board and a vertical wall surface behind the frieze board and in which the frieze board overlaps the front faces of the bricks in said top course comprising, an elongate member having a flat plate-like brick support surface provided with pointed end piercing means projecting axially from one end thereof substantially in the plane of and extending beyond said support surface, said member having a handle at the opposite end thereof, said member also having additional pointed end piercing means intermediate its ends and projecting axially in the same direction as the first-mentioned piercing means, said additional piercing means being offset from the plane of said support surface, means mounting said additional piercing means on said member for adjustment toward and away from the firstmentioned piercing means for varying the distance between the pointed ends of the first and second mentioned piercing means, one of said piercing means comprising a pair of projections spaced laterally apart transversely of said elongate member to impart lateral stability thereto when said member is aligned horizontally with the lower edge of the frieze board and projected toward the frieze board to interengage the first-mentioned piercing means with the wall surface behind the frieze board and the second-mentioned piercing means with the outer face of the frieze board above the lower edge thereof, said mounting means being disposed on the side of the second-mentioned piercing means toward said handle so as to avoid interference with the frieze board, the top and bottom faces of said member being smooth and unobstructed between the first and second mentioned piercing means to permit withdrawal of said member through the mortar joint between the brick supported thereby and the next lower course of bricks when the member is retracted slightly to disengage the piercing means from said wall surface and frieze board and lowered to deposit the brick supported thereby on the mortar laid along the top of the next lower course of bricks.
 3. A brick laying device as called for in claim 2 wherein said elongate member comprises a flat plate and said first-mentioned piercing means comprises a pair of laterally spaced pointed projections extending outwardly from the end of said plate opposite said handle. 